Oak Tree
by KDMOSP
Summary: JJ has been kidnapped. One shot. JJ/Hotch


**A/N: Stay with me on this one, at least until the end! It's a one shot. When I first wrote this, the time period was two years, I had to change that to two days. So if it gets confusing, if I missed one where it says years, it is actually days!**

Joseph sat in the small interrogation room, his hands chained underneath the table; his emotions racing between absolute terror and pure adrenaline induced excitement. Just hours earlier he had been a free man, enjoying a Starbucks latte. Little did he know, the FBI was waiting to ambush him just as he returned home. Instinct, at that time had told him to run- to do whatever it took to get away to remain free. Intelligence, however, told him that he did not stand a chance; so without making a move to run or to grab his gun, Joseph simply fell to his knees and let the man arrest him.

He knew, of course, why they had him. They had been searching for him for over two days. Apparently, he had become one of the most wanted man in America, if not the most wanted. He had seen the news reports, the pleas, his posters on the highway signs. And he prided himself in his ability to simply "blend in."

So, when the FBI had surprised him that day, he had smiled up at them as they hauled him to his feet. "Well if it isn't the FBI's finest." He joked, internally fearing that once he got to the police station that one of the team members might actually beat him to death.

Of course he had been wrong, they didn't touch him beyond the initial arrest. And to him, that was more terrifying than if they HAD beat him- at least then he would have a chance at getting to see the light of day again. Now, he knew he never would unless he got himself a damn good lawyer. And even then.. his chances were slim to non existent.

"Fuck." He whispered to himself, debating on whether to confess or play innocent. They had the right guy, they knew and he knew it. Now, he had to see how to play it. He could lie and say he hadn't killed her or he could tell the truth on the condition that the death penalty was taken off the table. As far as he knew, they hadn't found her body so he wasn't even sure they knew she was dead; there were just too many unknowns for him right now. He would just have to play it by ear.

Joseph was not sure how much longer he sat there, thinking, debating, before the door swung open and an angry looking man walked in; the same man who had arrested him hours before.

He had seen the man before, on television, media, the internet, he just couldn't recall his name.

Ten terrifying minutes later, the agent spoke for the first time. "Do you know why you are here?"

"When you arrested me, someone mentioned something about a murder." He leaned back in his chair as far as the cuffs would allow, trying to give the impression that he was relaxed about the interrogation.

"We never mentioned a murder, you were being arrested on the suspicion of kidnapping of a federal agent." In the entire sentence, Joseph noticed the man's voice never dropped, he never gave up eye contact, he never flinched.

Joseph was caught, and he had slipped it up himself.

He watched the agent open a file and slide a glossy photograph towards him. He knew who it was without even looking down at it, but if he was going to keep up his act, he had to at least glance at it. The blonde woman was smiling up from the picture, her eyes seemed to sparkle and stare right at him.

"You remember her, don't you?" The agent asked, watching as Joseph tried to steer his gaze away.

"I've.. never seen her before in my life."

"Really? We found your DNA in her car, on her gun, on her badge." The agent dared him to say it again. "So, I will ask you again, have you ever seen her before?"

Joseph stopped and to him, it seemed as if everything came to a hault. He had been running for a long time now, and for the first time he realized just how tired he was. He didn't want to run anymore, didn't want to be hunted, but he sure as hell wasn't just going to cough up all the answers.

"I've seen her." He whispered, glancing back down at the photo.

"When?" The agent asked, already knowing where this was leading.

"Almost three days ago."

"What did you do to her?"

Joseph sat and took in a deep breath. "I killed her." He quickly admitted. "I took her from her car on the way home, took her to an abandoned barn and killed her."

The agent stopped and Joseph could have sworn he saw tears in the man's eyes, and he half expected the man to yell or scream at him. Instead, there was nothing but the sound of a door opening and a woman calling to him.

"Hotch." She called and he stood and simply walked out the door, leaving Joseph alone to his confession.

When the door opened again, Joseph noticed something different about the agent. His tie was off, his suit jacket was missing, his shirt was untucked and blood was dried on his knuckles.

"You killed my agent." His voice held emotion this time, anger.

"Look man," Joseph began. "I didn't know she was an agent."

"Where is she?" He asked, not wanting more details.

"Excuse me?"

"Where did you leave her?" His voice was raising and he stood up, towering above Joseph. He tossed the photo back at Joseph. "Where. Is. Her. Body?"

Joseph looked over the man, his face was red, he was sweating, shaking. The perfect time to take advantage. "You loved her."

"Where is she?"

"I'm not stupid man, you want her body, you take the death penalty off the table." He looked up at the man and decided, while it might be a risky move, to try and calm him down a bit- if nothing else but for his own safety. "Look, I will tell you where she is, but I want a guarantee that the death penalty is off the table."

Joseph was sure he had won, the FBI in nearly two days had not been able to find her, and he doubted they were any closer.

Hotch looked up at him, anger evident in his features. "No deal." He slammed the files down on the table and walked around so that he was side by side with Joseph. "Where is the barn?"

"Burleson, Texas." Joseph quickly admitted, wanting to be out of this situation. "A small road in Burleson, Texas."

"How did you kill her?" Hotch uttered, wanting this to be over just as much as Joseph did.

Joseph took a deep breath and rolled his neck, the stress building up. He chewed his lip nervously, not wanting to admit to how the agent died. Even he knew it was awful, and had he not been on Meth, he might have not ever considered abducting someone. But he saw what he thought was a wealthy woman, in an SUV- never could he have guessed that she was a federal agent. And when he found that out, that was when he made the decision to kill her.

"I.."

"Shoot her, stab her?" He pulled out another picture of the beautiful agent, "What did you do to her?"

Joseph felt the tears building up,he was only thirty years old, this was not his life and looking up at the agent, he saw the pain he had caused. Joseph was a good kid, had a graduate degree, a family, he had a good life that only turned that way after being arrested for possession. He desperately wanted to be the tough guy, he had been led into the small room pretending to be the tough guy, that he could handle anything. But it was all a lie, and it was time to come clean for the sake of his family, for her family. She had been the only person he had ever abducted, ever killed and he would never let himself go for that. And now, he was finally going to let it go.. and give up. So with a deep breath he began talking.

"I was high on meth, I saw her and thought she had money on her. I hit her over the head with a bat and shoved her in the trunk of my car." He paused and fought to keep the images out of his mind. "By the time we got to the barn, she was awake, and trying to fight. I pulled her out of the trunk and she vomited all over my brand new shoes. I was so mad at her. She kept talking about her team, that she was an FBI agent, but all I could see was red. When I found out she didn't have any money, I tied her to the tree with an electrical cord and went to the back of the barn." he paused knowing the FBI agent would hate him for what came next. "She didn't beg for her life, she knew what was happening. I dug a hole and used the tractor to put an old refrigerator in it." He likced his lips. "I untied her and.. and I.. shut her in the fridge and.." He was shaking recalling how awful it was for him.

"You buried her alive?"

Joseph nodded. "I'm sorry."

Nobody spoke for a moment, Hotch began pacing the room. "Where is she?"

"The barn, under the large tree."

Joseph had never seen a man run so fast, he watched as Hotch ripped out his cell phone and began shouting out directions. As the door slammed shut, Joseph banged his head on the table. He had just killed an FBI agent. Fuck.

Hotch had hope, a very, miniscule bit of hope. But he still had it and he clung to that as he and an entire unit of agents, police, Texas Rangers descended upon a small plot of country land in Burleson, Texas. They were all looking for the oak tree, the tree that underneath it, was a fresh pile of dirt.

They were all hoping that JJ was alive, that by some miracle, she had survived.

"JJ!" Hotch shouted and his words were echoed numerous times by every man and woman on the property. In the end, it was Bravo, the elite search dog that led them to the tree and everyone began digging.

"Medical chopper has landed," One of the rangers told Hotch as they dug into the fresh dirt

"JJ, we're here, hold on." He pleaded and finally they saw the white of the fridge against the brown dirt. The few minutes it took seemed to last forever for Hotch, he was petrified to find the body of his beloved agent. So with a deep breath and a quick prayer, the rest of the officers backed off, letting him be the one to open the door.

"JJ" She was there, and as Hotch's hand reached down to check for a pulse, silence descended upon the group. "JJ.." He felt a small tear run down his face, he had found his missing agent, and today he had found her in time.

Joseph had been wrong, and Hotch knew the guilt he was feeling. But as he lifted his barely conscious agent out of the shallow grave he knew to leave Jospeh alone with his guilt. His JJ was alive and back where she belonged- in his arms.

He held onto her as the paramedics lead them to the awaiting chopper, he brushed the dirt out of her hair as the EMT slipped the oxygen mask over her face, he held her hand when she first opened his eyes and he smiled when she whispered his name. And kissed her forehead when the relief washed over him; she was safe.


End file.
